SIG Talk banner
  • Notice image

    SigTalk is a forum community dedicated to SIG Sauer enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about Sig Sauer pistols and rifles, optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!

Things I noticed with SIG716 GEN1 and GEN2

40K views 59 replies 24 participants last post by  xrlizard 
#1 ·
1st: the obvious butt stock and grips are different.
2nd: the piston is slightly different.
3rd: the buffer is different.

I recently sent my GEN1 716 back to Sig Sauer and they sent me a new GEN2. Things went terribly wrong the first time i attached a suppressor. (AAC 762SDN-6).

The increase in back pressure destroyed the lower receiver by the buffer tube. YES, THE REGULATOR WAS SET TO SUPPRESSED MODE. I assumed that stock GEN1 buffer could handle a suppressor but it cannot. the back pressure sent the BCG slamming into the lower receiver. It chipped away the aluminum.

So, for you GEN1 owners, make sure you change your buffer to a H2 or H3 buffer if you are going to run suppressed. When i received my GEN2 716, the buffer is different than my GEN1. I can clearly see H2 etched into the it.

Now that i think back, the GEN1 buffer could have been a .223 buffer. I highly recommend that all GEN1 716 owners invest in a H2 buffer. It will not affect regular operation mode. Also, it could reduce some felt recoil for you.

On a side note, customer service was excellent. They sent back a new rifle and all my parts. I complained that i did not like the new buttstock and grip. they were contibuting factors for my original purchase. They sent me back my GEN1 Magpul parts. (they fit perfectly) 10min swap.

rifle swap: 10days including weekends.
parts shipping 14days.

I think the GEN2 shoots better too! maybe... lol
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Did you take pictures of the damage?

I'm curious as to where the Bolt Carrier was slamming into.

.223 and .308 buffers (weights, in particular) are identical on AR platforms?
 
#11 ·
Notice the extra grooves. Those match up to the BCG.
That's annoying.

Would those grooves have anything to do with Bolt Carrier Tilt, though?

Interested because all of my toys are going to be paired with suppressors, pending paperwork...
 
#9 ·
The guns are "packaged" out. Mine is a Gen 2 (Prod. date June 2013) and it ONLY came with 1 PMAG, the Ergo Rail protector covers, the sling, and the lock. No Magpul stuff, no cleaning kit, no Sig red-dot. (I guess I got the base model version.)

The old/original Gen 1s would get that awesome looking green cleaning pouch, and occasionally a Sig red-dot -- not the case anymore with Gen 2 it seems.

If you get one that has Magpul parts on it, regardless of Gen., it comes with both stock and grip, always paired together, not just one or the other. You will see the price reflect this, guaranteed to be just a hair over the $2,000 mark.
 
#8 ·
1st: the obvious butt stock and grips are different.
2nd: the piston is slightly different.
3rd: the buffer is different.

I recently sent my GEN1 716 back to Sig Sauer and they sent me a new GEN2. Things went terribly wrong the first time i attached a suppressor. (AAC 762SDN-6).

The increase in back pressure destroyed the lower receiver by the buffer tube. YES, THE REGULATOR WAS SET TO SUPPRESSED MODE. I assumed that stock GEN1 buffer could handle a suppressor but it cannot. the back pressure sent the BCG slamming into the lower receiver. It chipped away the aluminum.

So, for you GEN1 owners, make sure you change your buffer to a H2 or H3 buffer if you are going to run suppressed. When i received my GEN2 716, the buffer is different than my GEN1. I can clearly see H2 etched into the it.

Now that i think back, the GEN1 buffer could have been a .223 buffer. I highly recommend that all GEN1 716 owners invest in a H2 buffer. It will not affect regular operation mode. Also, it could reduce some felt recoil for you.

On a side note, customer service was excellent. They sent back a new rifle and all my parts. I complained that i did not like the new buttstock and grip. they were contibuting factors for my original purchase. They sent me back my GEN1 Magpul parts. (they fit perfectly) 10min swap.

rifle swap: 10days including weekends.
parts shipping 14days.

I think the GEN2 shoots better too! maybe... lol
So where do you get the H2 or H3 buffers?

KK
 
#10 · (Edited)
Well I'm waiting on a FDE version, and I definitely want the Magpul furniture, that was a "selling" point for me. So is it "hit & miss" or will the GEN 2 come with it?

I might? get the Blk version and Gunkote it??? but I'm waiting for the word on the FDE version.

Any chance you can post a pic of your June 2013 version?
Thanks
 
#12 ·
Well I'm waiting on a FDE version, and I definitely want the Magpul furniture, that was a "selling" point for me. So it it "hit & miss" or will the GEN 2 come with it?

I might? get the Blk version and Gunkote it??? but I'm waiting for the word on the FDE version.

Any chance you can post a pic of your June 2013 version?
Thanks
Right, you are the one anticipating my paint job, which, btw, I finally got quoted for today from my local shop. Upper and lower is $125, and the stock is $45.

And yes, depending how many they produced with Magpul parts or not and where they are being shipped to, just ask whatever retailer if they can physically check to see what it comes with. My guy kinda screwed me to make the sale saying it did come with the Magpul parts -- which it clearly didn't. W/e tho, I just wanted the Gen 2.

I have a couple pics in my Welcome thread, I can take more if you'd like
 
#13 ·
Thanks, I'll go check your other thread. Yea I'll definitely be making sure that a "physical" conformation is done on the Magpul gear and if its a GEN 2 before I purchase. Thanks again for the "heads up"
 
#14 ·
Thanks for posting this. It is very interesting.

I am still in shock that 1 of the very TOP DRAWER gun companies in the world, with a great reputation, has aperently put out so many faulty products.

I have a gen 2 516, and a new 716, gen 2. I had a little bobble from the 716, but after a detailed cleaning, it is good to go. The 516 was good to go from the box, and was in big part the reason I wanted the 716.

The ergos, controls, easy acceserizing, ect are huge selling points for the AR type platform. The DI AR's minor weakness, IMO, was overblown. At least in the later versions.
Clean them, use decent mags, good lube, and they were good to go. Still not perfect.

I don't like thinking, that after nearly 40 years of shooting combat type guns, that I was lured into the piston system guns by hype. I guess only time and rounds downrange will tell.

Still some of the worlds best rifles/carbines, have been different versions of piston guns, that were and still are primo. AK/Fn/Fal/HK/M1a ect. Hopefully there just some minor bugs to be worked out. Reliability is SO important that very little else matters.

These type guns are just expensive toys for some owners, but serious go to life or death guns for others.

It was painfull, but I traded a DDM4 type gun that was priom and some cash for the Sig 716. Hopefully that was not a mistake.
 
#21 ·
My GEN1 was totally fine. No problems under normal operation. My problems started when i attached a supressor.

the Gen1 didn't handle all the back pressure very well. In addition to the piston driving back the BCG, back pressure from the suppressor travels back from the barrel.

You could never have a problem with Gen1. I am just informing everyone my experience.
 
#22 ·
My GEN1 was totally fine. No problems under normal operation. My problems started when i attached a supressor.

the Gen1 didn't handle all the back pressure very well. In addition to the piston driving back the BCG, back pressure from the suppressor travels back from the barrel.

You could never have a problem with Gen1. I am just informing everyone my experience.
Well I have a Gen 1 no problems, but I did heed your advice and have bought a heavy duty buffer.

KK
 
#24 ·
I think my rifle was caught somewhere in the middle, maybe one of the first Gen 2s. It has all the gen2 features and piston, but came with the magpul furniture. The operator's manual didn't quite match up with the rifle, indicating some features that are no longer present/have been changed. I didn't get a cleaning kit with it, just the PMag, Lock, and rail covers. MFD 12 Feb, 2013
 
#25 · (Edited)
I called Sig today about a barrel question. During the conversation, I brought up the question about gen.1 and gen.2 716's. Sig said that there is no such thing as a gen.1 or gen.2 716. There is a gen.1 and gen.2 516 but not 716. He said there was different equipment options over time but nothing that would warrant labeling the rifle itself as gen.1 and gen.2. through Sig and they have not done so.
This came from Sig Sauer customer service today, so where did these generation rumors get started, or are the changes being referred to as gen.2?
 
#26 ·
But certain 716's have different barrel weights for the 16" .. The Gen 2s are heavier/stronger, plus they don't have that sling point directly underneath attached to the gas block! I think that CS rep was tripping hard!
 
  • Like
Reactions: GLD1980
#28 · (Edited)
So I have a Blk one on the way, it has the SIG stock & grip. What are the chances of it having the "heavier" barrel? I suppose that the stock & grip are a quick exchange.

BTW anyone have experience with the TD BF-17 grip? it's the larger one?
 
#30 ·
SIG considers it different generations based on the gas block piston design. It has always been the same design from the beginning for the 716 (non-threaded), hence there's only one generation. During the panic, SIG started producing the same gas block piston design, BUT decided to skip the additional milling for the sides of the gas blocks (completely an aesthetic thing). I personally like the original milled sides on the gas blocks, not the new 'grooved lines' version. The 516 GEN 1 had 100% milled sides and 50% milled sides, and the 516 GEN 2 had 50% milled sides and now only 'grooved lines.' Therefore, there is no such thing as a GEN 2 716.
 
#31 ·
Sig is awesome. Not using the GEN 1/2/3? verbiage, but:
My first 716 bought July 2012. Aug 2013, some damage to the lower receiver near the buffer tube after attaching an AAC 7.62 suppressor. Called sig they sent me a shipping label and return authorization number. They called me THE DAY THEY GOT IT and told me they would be replacing the rifle. They told me they would ship the replacement the next day. That would equal a 1 week turn around time with shipping, how is that for great customer service! I asked if I could get one in FDE, they said sure, but it would take a while as they only run them in tan once in a while. It took less than a month. There are some changes, some of which I don't understand, but here are my observations on one made within the last week or two:
1. The gas piston is different- hard to describe, the end where it is recessed to fit into the lower receiver.
2. The bolt face is different- two pins that stick out out on the bolt face, don't understand this, but they are there.
3. Bolt carrier group- maybe a small change to the design, maybe, hard to tell without them side to side.
4. Buffer and spring- different buffer, spring MAY be different.

I don't claim to be an expert, there may be more.

Have not taken it to the range yet, and as they say the proof is in the pudding. I am very happy with sig though, they have a customer for life.
 
#34 ·
Just to fuel the Equipment debate, mine was purchased in Dec 2013 and built in November. It has the 1 button bolt carrier group, no bayonet lug and sig furniture.

I did not get a cleaning kit, rail covers or anything else.
 
#36 ·
It's on the label on the side of the Sig Box that the rifle came in. Im shocked that the even later models aren't coming w/ rail covers! What's next, no PMAG and sling?!:confused:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top